UAlberta unveils brand journalism website

folio.ca launched this morning.

The University of Alberta launched its brand journalism site, folio.ca, today.

By MICHEL PROULX

The University of Alberta launched a brand journalism website earlier today, complete with its own social media channels, @folioUAlberta and facebook.com/folioUAlberta.

“folio.ca will strengthen our ability to tell our own institution’s story,” said Jacqui Tam, vice-president of university relations. “The website carries stories that draw on the people of the University of Alberta and their ideas and discoveries, but the stories all have an appeal and relevance that extend beyond the university.”

The new digital news product offers news and information in five areas: science and tech, health and wellness, society and culture, business and commentary.

folio.ca’s mission is to share expertise from the University of Alberta that informs, stimulates thought and debate, and challenges opinion, something it will accomplish by providing a credible, relevant news source with content that empowers, surprises and provides solutions to its engaged readers.

“There are amazing discoveries that happen here every day and we’ll write about those. We’ll write stories that provide Albertans and others with a little more context about issues that matter to them by sharing relevant information from UAlberta subject-matter experts. We’ll write stories that provide advice, based on the knowledge of UAlberta’s experts. And, of course, we’ll post stories written by our experts on various matters, as you find in the opinion-editorial pages of newspapers.”

The university will continue to tell its story through traditional methods including media relations, said Tam.

“We’ll continue to pitch and share our stories with media outlets, and find experts to comment on issues, as we have always done.”

She added the new website is an additional communication tool for the university to help it connect more fully with its increasingly global audience, which is accustomed to seeking a wide variety of news channels on its own.